While Bill Laimbeer was recognized for his confrontational playing style, earning him the label of a dirty player, it’s worth noting that even his teammates found it hard to embrace his moniker. Rick Mahorn , a pivotal figure in the ‘Bad Boy Pistons’ era, admitted his strong dislike for the 6’11” center, even when they were teammates in Detroit.
However, when Robert Parish unleashed a couple of brutal punches on Bill Laimbeer during Game 5 in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, Mahorn conveyed a stern message to the four-time All-Star and even assured him that he had his back.
Rick Mahorn’s message to Bill Laimbeer
During his appearance on the ‘Showtime With Coop’ podcast, the 6’10” forward openly discussed his complex relationship with Laimbeer. Despite admitting to ‘hating’ him at one point, Mahorn revealed that he firmly communicated to Laimbeer the need to stand strong on the court and support each other as teammates, setting aside any off-court feelings.
“He was a guy I hated as a teammate at a time, ” Mahorn said. “When Laimbeer got three-pieced by Robert Parish in the playoffs, I told Laimbeer, ‘You gotta step up for yourself, man. You can’t be letting nobody just go at you. If you don’t step up for yourself, don’t worry, I got this under control.'”